Lucky Like Us

chapter Eighteen

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AGENT VERNET FIXED her with a sharp eye. “Just to get the record straight, Miss Hamilton, Agent Turner shot you even though you turned your back on him. You weren’t threatening him with the knife, but using it to protect yourself from the assailant.”

“Yes.”

Agent Reed bowed his head and sighed. Deputy Director Davies watched her intently.

Bile rose to the back of Sam’s throat as he listened to her answer the questions. Did she really think he shot her knowing she wasn’t a threat? He’d never do that. She had a knife. He thought she’d hurt him. Didn’t he? Now he wasn’t so sure about what happened.

“You’re telling us Agent Turner shot you on purpose?” Vernet asked, obviously loving her answering the same question again, proving Sam guilty. Or so she let him think . . . for now.

“Absolutely not.” They all watched her closely. “I never said he meant to shoot me.”

Sam listened intently. What was she up to?

“You said he shot you when your back was turned to him.”

“He did.”

“Then, he meant to shoot you.”

“No.” Elizabeth was actually starting to have fun with this guy. Hell-bent on finding something to hurt Sam, he didn’t realize he’d missed the point of her story entirely. Deputy Director Davies and Agent Reed hadn’t. She wanted to give Deputy Director Davies the proof he needed to make sure Agent Vernet was disciplined for his conduct. He was biased toward Sam, his investigation slanted. She needed to ensure the investigation was fair and accurate. She also wanted to be sure Agent Vernet wasn’t allowed to do this to any other agent in the future.

“You’re not being very cooperative about this, Miss Hamilton. Please answer the question.”

“Don’t you mean tell you that Sam shot an innocent woman when her back was to him and she posed no threat whatsoever to him? Is that the answer you want?”

“Elizabeth, calm down. Your heart monitor is going nuts,” Agent Reed said, concerned.

She ignored him and took a calming breath while addressing Agent Vernet again. “Is this what you did to Sam? Did you take his statement and twist things around, so it appeared he shot me out of some kind of malice or perceived threat that wasn’t there?” The guilty look in Agent Vernet’s eyes made her even angrier.

“I didn’t mean to upset you. I only want to make sure the facts of the case are revealed. I understand you want to protect Agent Turner, but he’s stated he took the gun from you and shot you. You, yourself, said he shot you when your back was turned to him. Those are the facts of the case.”

She addressed Deputy Director Davies. “Is he really this moronic? Does he really believe he can twist people’s words because he has some grudge against Agent Turner?” Both were rhetorical questions. Deputy Director Davies smartly kept his mouth shut.

Elizabeth had no doubt Deputy Director Davies knew her game. Agent Vernet wasn’t taking the entire scene Elizabeth set up into account. He was only hearing what he wanted to hear about Sam. He wasn’t seeing the scene and how it had actually played out. Being a field agent, Deputy Director Davies would understand what happened. In Sam’s altered, drugged state, he would remember the events, but maybe not as clearly as Elizabeth.

“Agent Vernet, apparently you have some desire to make Agent Turner look bad and to harm his career. I can assure you I am not protecting him in any way, but giving you my accurate account of what happened that night.”

Agent Vernet, perturbed she’d dared to call him a moron, pressed his lips together until they disappeared into his mouth. His eyes went cold, and she had no doubt he would try to get her to say something that would help him destroy Sam’s career.

“I have your statement. I have his statement. He took the gun from you and shot you. He stated that he believed you were a threat because he saw the knife in your hand. But you, in fact, were not a threat with your back turned. You, obviously, were not trying to harm Agent Turner, and he shot you anyway. He’ll have to answer for that.”

“No, Agent Vernet, he won’t.”

“Excuse me, but I am conducting the investigation and because of both your statements, I have enough to take this further and file charges against Agent Turner.”

“Excuse me, Agent Vernet, but you do not have grounds to file charges against Agent Turner, and he won’t have to answer for his statement or mine because I can answer for him.” She paused to make sure she had his attention and the other agents. “I have no doubt Agent Turner stated he took the gun from me and saw the knife in my hand before he shot me.”

“Those were his words,” Agent Vernet confirmed.

“Well those words are true enough . . .”

Agent Vernet cut her off. “See! You admit he’s telling the truth. He shot you when you turned your back to him.”

“Shut up, Vernet, and let her tell us what happened,” Deputy Director Davies spoke for the first time since entering the room.

“Thank you. At least two people in this room would like to know what really happened.” She pointedly looked at Deputy Director Davies and Agent Reed. “As I said, I’m sure those were Agent Turner’s words, and they are true. But in Agent Turner’s altered state—he was drugged you know,” she said sarcastically to Agent Vernet. “He remembers the event accurately, but out of context.”

“What do you mean?” Deputy Director Davies asked.

“After Agent Turner took the gun from me, the man got out of the car. Agent Turner wasn’t able to speak to me, but we made eye contact, and I knew he understood someone was coming. I rolled over with the knife in my hand and stabbed the man in the foot. At the same time, Agent Turner fired and hit my arm as I brought the knife down.

“If you picture the scene in your mind, you can play it out. Sam lay on his back behind me. I was on my left side about to stab the man, and Sam fired and hit my arm. The only way he could have hit my raised arm is if he aimed at the man’s legs. He would have had to hold his arm and the gun well above his chest. If he meant to shoot me, he wouldn’t have had to hold the gun so high. Look at where he shot me.”

She pulled the bandage off her arm and showed them the stitched cut, which creased her from the middle of her outer arm down toward her elbow. She held up her arm in the position of holding the knife about to stab someone. “As you can see, the only way for the bullet to have grazed my arm in this manner, and leave this scar, is if Sam aimed over me toward the man. He tried to shoot the guy in the leg, but he hit me instead. If he’d wanted to shoot me, he’d have shot me in the back or shoulder. It was my fault for getting in his way. He never meant to shoot me.”

Pinning Vernet with a harsh glare, she continued. “You wanted to know if I was covering for him. Absolutely not. His actions speak for themselves. He tried to protect me, even though he’d been shot and drugged and was barely conscious. He deserves a damn medal, not an inquisition into his conduct.”

She yawned, extremely tired after exerting all her energy explaining herself. This had been the longest she’d managed to stay awake. Certainly the most she’d spoken in days. She hadn’t expected to have to defend her statements or Sam’s actions. She closed her eyes a moment to gather her strength and keep the pain in check. Her anger and the heavy dose of painkillers had left her drained.

She really wanted to see Sam. He felt guilty about shooting her, and they hadn’t had a chance to discuss what happened. She had no idea he thought he’d shot her because he thought she was the threat. She wished she’d seen his face when she recounted what really happened. He must be so relieved.

Sam lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling reeling from Elizabeth’s statement. She was right. He remembered the events like snapshots, not like a movie. He saw each piece, understood their meaning, but when you knew what the missing frames of the film were, it made a different picture all together. He never meant to shoot her.

He wished he were there with her. He’d kiss her for putting the puzzle together for him and not letting Vernet alter her statements about what happened. She certainly was a judge’s daughter. She stuck to the facts and recounted them without embellishment. She presented her case, and no one could dispute her evidence.

He’d tried to shoot the suspect and not her. He didn’t exactly remember that, but he had no doubt the bullet wound on her arm backed up her account.

“Elizabeth, are you all right? You don’t look so good. Do you want me to get the doctor?” Tyler asked, worry in his voice.

Concerned, Sam imagined this was taking everything she had, and she didn’t have a lot to give in the first place. This had been too much, too soon, for her.

Elizabeth opened her eyes. “No. I’m just tired. Are we done with the investigation into Agent Turner shooting at a suspect, who was trying to kill us both?”

“I believe you’ve provided a plausible explanation for Agent Turner’s actions. I’ll have your statement prepared for your signature.”

“Plausible explanation? Is this how you treat victims and the agents who try to protect them? You should be ashamed of yourself, not to mention fired for conducting an investigation where you are clearly biased against the subject of that investigation.”

He wanted to interrupt, but she didn’t let him. “Furthermore, I expect the statement you prepare will be word for word and that it will reflect Agent Turner in no way meant to harm me. If it isn’t, you’ll hear from all of my lawyers. I’m sure you’ve heard of them. They’re all named Hamilton. Also, if you bring charges against Agent Turner, you can bet your ass you’ll hear from my attorneys and my father. That would be Federal Judge Hamilton of the District Court. If I have to, I’ll break out my address book and contact every influential person I know, of which there are many in the public and private sector, and make sure Agent Turner is treated with the respect and admiration he deserves for conducting himself in such a gallant manner and trying to save my life, even in his incapacitated state. Are we clear?”

Agent Vernet, his face red with fury, gave her a curt nod and turned off the recorder. “I’ve everything needed to write the report, which will reflect your statement that Agent Turner wasn’t at fault for the shooting,” he said, his voice tight and controlled.

Sam would probably get a commendation for his actions, and that would piss off Agent Vernet even more. The thought almost made her smile, but she held it back.

“Now, Deputy Director Davies, apparently Agent Vernet has missed the mark on what aspect of that night requires further investigation. I’m sure you, Agent Reed, and Agent Turner understand what that important matter is.”

“You can identify the suspect, and he’s a threat to you,” Deputy Director Davies stated the obvious. Well, obvious to everyone but Vernet, she thought.

“Hallelujah! We are finally getting to the important part of this conversation. I assume an agent will be assigned to protect me until you apprehend the suspect, since I’m the only person who can identify the man who attempted to kill an FBI agent, as well as myself. I don’t know what else you want this man for, but I assume he’s dangerous. I’m stubborn and independent, but I’m not stupid. If this guy knows I’m still alive, he knows I can identify him. He’ll try to kill me again.”

“Yes, I think you’re right. We’ll assign a couple agents to protect you.”

“Good. I’ll also assume that I get the best, since I’m a federal judge’s daughter and the man after me is willing to kill an FBI agent to keep his identity a secret. Which means Agent Turner will be assigned to protect me while he and Agent Reed work to apprehend the suspect. Since Agent Turner is injured, I assume he won’t be assigned an undercover job until he’s fully recovered. I’m sure he can handle a simple babysitting job, especially since he’s already acquainted with the facts of the case and will be an asset to Agent Reed as he determines the identity of the suspect and takes the man into custody.”

She smiled at Agent Reed and looked pointedly at Agent Vernet and hoped he understood she felt Agent Turner was the best the FBI had to offer and not to mess with her. Sam wouldn’t be happy unless he was working again. Protecting her would give him time to decide what type of work he wanted to do in the future. He’d told her working undercover was burning him out. She had to admit, she’d also feel better having him close, until they resolved the entire ordeal.

Sam wiped his hand over his brow and into his hair, completely blown away. She was something else. After everything that happened to her, she still managed to defend him, make him out to be a hero, and now she got him back on the job as the best agent to protect her.

“Agent Vernet, since this part of the discussion is about an ongoing investigation, you can go,” Deputy Director Davies’s deep voice came over the line.

Being excluded from the conversation was sure to rile Vernet. Sam didn’t care. Davies would ensure Vernet answered for his conduct.

“You and I will meet with your superior on Monday to discuss Agent Turner’s and Miss Hamilton’s statements. I will be following up with the director concerning your conduct and Agent Turner’s outstanding efforts in the field regarding Miss Hamilton and this case. I expect the investigation will be closed and Agent Turner will be allowed back into the field as soon as possible. Miss Hamilton demands the best the FBI has to offer, and that’s Agent Turner and Agent Reed in her opinion and mine. I’m sure once the director sees your report detailing Agent Turner’s heroic actions in trying to save Miss Hamilton, he’ll agree as well.”

Agent Vernet fumed. Nothing he could do. He left her room without looking at Deputy Director Davies or saying goodbye.

“What an a*shole!” Elizabeth announced once the door closed behind Agent Vernet.

“I believe this call is for you.” Agent Reed handed the phone over.

“Why the hell aren’t you here? I hope you didn’t tell that maggot you shot me on purpose, because that would be really stupid, and you are not a stupid man.”

Sam smiled at the phone. God, she was something. “Hello, sweetheart. How are you?”

She relaxed at his lazy soft tone. That voice did something to her. She couldn’t explain it, but she liked it. “I’m fine now. I’m tired.” She let out a huge yawn.

Both Deputy Director Davies and Agent Reed exchanged a look. She ignored both of them.

“Thank you for what you did for me,” Sam began. “I told Agent Vernet I’d shot you because I remembered seeing you with the knife. You were right though. I took the image out of context. I remembered the events in pieces. You helped me put them together. I still don’t remember exactly what happened, but I’m glad you said what you did.”

“Do you think I said all of that just to save your ass? Are you an idiot? Everything I said to Agent Vernet was the unbiased truth, and I’ll not have you thinking I did it to protect you, or make you feel better. You were trying to shoot the other guy, not me. I got in your way. End of story. So stop beating yourself up over what happened.”

“So far you’ve called me stupid and an idiot. How much pain are you in right now?”

“A lot. More than a lot. Oh, God, Sam, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. Put Tyler back on the phone.”

“Who’s Tyler?”

“Agent Reed,” Sam said and Tyler took the phone back.

“What’s up, man?”

“She’s in pain and too stubborn to tell anyone. Call the doctor into the room to give her some more drugs. How does she look?”

“Bad,” Tyler confirmed. “I hit the call button for the nurse.”

“Damn. Is she able to give us a description of the guy before she passes out?”

“I don’t know. She’s about to pass out now.”

“Why are you two talking about me like I’m not here?” Elizabeth shifted her weight because she was uncomfortable. She pressed the button on the bed to lower herself. Her back hurt, so she tried to roll to her side, but that shot pain through her back and down her legs, which then sent fire screaming through her thigh. She moaned in pain. Deputy Director Davies put a pillow behind her to help her stay on her side, and he rested his hand on her shoulder.

“There now, Miss Hamilton. Is that better?”

“Yes, thank you. I need to tell you about the man,” she slurred softly, having a difficult time keeping her eyes open and the pain at bay. Both Deputy Director Davies and Agent Reed came to the side of the bed where she could see them.

Fading fast, the nurse came into the room and Tyler spoke for her. “Miss Hamilton is in a lot of pain and needs some medication.”

“I have it right here.” The nurse held up a syringe and stuck it into the IV and pushed the contents into the line. She left the room without another word.

“I put Sam on speaker. He can hear us now. Can you give us a description of the man? Do you remember?” Tyler took out his notebook and pen.

“He was taller than me, maybe six feet or six-one. When he was choking me, I was a couple inches off the ground, and we were face to face. When I took the ski cap off his head, we were eye-to-eye. His are brown as mud. He has fair skin and his features are sharp. His lips are thin, and he had high cheekbones and a broad forehead. Next to his left eye, he has a small mole just under the lower lid near the corner. His hair is brown, cut short with a touch of grey at the temple. He reminded me of a banker or businessman. Maybe a lawyer. You know, someone who has to look very presentable. He’s in his late forties or early fifties. Thin, but not weak. Strong and lean, like a swimmer.” Her voice trailed off and her eyes fluttered closed, though she fought to stay awake. The medicine the nurse had given her was finally taking effect and the pain eased away.

“Come on, sweetheart, keep going,” Sam prodded, so they’d get the whole description before she was completely out.

“Sam, she’s fading. We’ll finish this tomorrow.” Tyler didn’t want to push her. She’d given them a lot of information and the doctor had warned them before they came into her room she wouldn’t stay awake for very long.

“He’s a coward.” She’d closed her eyes, barely able to say the words. She concentrated on what she wanted to tell them. Her brow furrowed.

“Why do you say that, Elizabeth?” Tyler thought it a strange statement when the guy had shot both her and Sam.

“Because he shot us in the back. He couldn’t look at us when he shot us. He also drugged Sam, which tells me he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. He kills like a woman. Men usually kill with force or weapons. Women kill using poison. They don’t usually shoot people or stab them. Sorry, I’m rambling. He knocked me to the ground and kicked me, so I wasn’t looking at him when he shot me then stabbed me with the knife. I don’t think he would have stabbed me, except that I’d made him mad by stabbing him in the foot. You should check the hospitals and clinics to see if someone had a foot injury.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Tyler said with a smile on his face and in his voice.

She smiled up at him, her eyes drooping. “You probably already thought of that.”

“It’s okay. I think your drugs are kicking in.”

“They are. I’m starting to float. It doesn’t hurt so much anymore, or maybe I don’t care that it hurts.”

“What else can you tell us about the man?” Tyler hoped she could give them something distinctive. The description’s good, but maybe she could remember something definitive.

“He wore expensive cologne and a gold bracelet with a logo on it. He had on dark blue jeans and a black sweater. The sweater was expensive, cashmere. I’ve seen him somewhere before. Did I tell you that alrea—”

“Elizabeth. Elizabeth!” Sam shouted over the phone.

“Sam, she’s out. You know, I think we should make her an agent. She’s good. Better than Vernet, and she doesn’t have any training. I like her. I like her a lot,” Tyler remarked.

Elizabeth slept, her skin as pale as the sheet covering her. Dark circles marred the skin under her eyes, but still one of the most beautiful women Tyler had ever seen. Easy to see why Sam had become infatuated and protective of her so quickly. She was smart and held her own. She didn’t allow people to boss her around, or lead her where they wanted her to go.

“Back off, Tyler,” Sam grumbled. “She’s a witness and a victim. What do you guys think about her description? Does it match any of our suspects?”

Sam didn’t want to hear about how Tyler liked Elizabeth. He didn’t want to think about him in the room with Elizabeth. He wished he were there with her. She’d had a rough time telling them all what happened. Verbally sparring with Vernet hadn’t helped. If he could have, he’d have put a stop to Vernet’s verbal jabs and kicked him out long before he upset Elizabeth.

“I’ll go through our list of suspects and see if anything matches up. Her description matches with our profile of the unidentified subject. We assumed it was someone in their forties or fifties, well educated, someone in the business field who knows how insurance claims work, and someone who prefers to stay away from violence. Although he kills his victims, he always uses poison rather than, say, setting up a suicide using a gun or other violent means. Her personality assessment of the guy is right on. He’s a coward of sorts, because he isn’t able to confront his victims face-to-face. Now that he’s shot you and Elizabeth, I hope he doesn’t escalate to more violent crimes,” Tyler stated.

“She said she’s seen him somewhere. What do you think she meant? Does she know him? Where did she see him? She owns that bakery and café, maybe she’s seen him there?” Deputy Director Davies asked, his concern matching Sam’s. “Maybe this person knows Elizabeth as well. He could get to her more easily than a stranger could.”

“We’ll have to wait to ask her,” Sam answered, though he wished she wasn’t out cold again. “I think if she knew the guy’s name, she’d have told us. She knows and is acquainted with hundreds of people, since she’s invited to every benefit and society party in the state. I imagine she’s met dozens upon dozens of people simply because of her name, not to mention she owns one of the most popular shops in the city.”

If she knew him, they could apprehend him quickly. More than likely, she thought she’d seen him before. She hadn’t sounded convinced she knew him for certain. Then again, she was pretty out of it there at the end.

“I’d like to ask her about the logo on the bracelet. Maybe we can trace it somehow. Can you believe her memory and the details she’s provided. We should give her Vernet’s job.” Tyler had dealt with a lot of witnesses. None as good as Elizabeth. They usually got facts wrong, embellished the story in some way, or their perception of what happened was wrong. Witnesses were usually unreliable and changed their story often. He had no doubt Elizabeth recounted the story accurately and the details wouldn’t change. She knew what she knew. Sedated and in a deep sleep, she probably wouldn’t wake up until tomorrow.

Deputy Director Davies wrapped up the meeting. “Let’s get out of here and go over the list of suspects we do have and see if we can narrow down our search. We’ll have to talk to her again tomorrow. I hope she’ll be up to it. Today was hard for her. I have no doubt she tried to hide her feelings and emotions about the attack. She’s a strong woman, but I think she’s being torn up inside about what happened. I imagine nothing traumatic like this has happened to her, or anyone in her life.”

“She’ll overcome this as soon as we find the man responsible, and she has some closure,” Sam responded. “She is strong. The fear will subside as she deals with what happened.”

“I’m not surprised she asked to have you assigned to protect her,” Deputy Director Davies went on. “You should have seen the change in her when she heard your voice a little while ago. Her whole body relaxed. She trusts you. We’ll need her trust if we’re going to protect her from this guy.”

“When are you putting me back on the case?” Sam wanted to catch this guy before he had a chance to hurt Elizabeth again. Jarred had already gotten into her room. What if the Silver Fox decided to try something? A chill ran up Sam’s spine.

“Elizabeth has a hospital guard on her door. Her father doesn’t want that Jarred guy to get to her again. I’m sure he thinks there’s a threat from our guy. You still have to be cleared by Vernet’s investigation, which should come about Monday or Tuesday. Take the next several days to heal and get your head straight. I’ll put you back on the case as Elizabeth’s guard and Agent Reed’s backup when she gets released from the hospital,” Deputy Director Davies told Sam.

“But . . .”

“But nothing. Take it or leave it. She’s right, Sam, you’re the best, but you’ve been injured and involved in a traumatic event. You need time to heal, but I think even on your worst day, you’re capable of watching out for her. Shooting her messed with your head. You know now what the actual circumstances were, but I still believe you need time to work it all out. You’ve been on the verge of burnout for months. Because of the shooting, you feel responsible for her. I believe you’re becoming personally involved with her, which could be a liability.”

Sam wanted to protest, because he didn’t want to admit to Davies or himself he had feelings for Elizabeth, but Davies went on. “I believe you want to protect her and that makes you perfect for the job. Let Agent Reed take the lead on finding the suspect. You concentrate on Elizabeth. You’re back on the job when she leaves the hospital and not before. Set up your appointments with the mind benders,” Davies ordered, not about to let him off the hook for the appointments with the psychiatrist. He obviously thought Sam needed it.

“Shit. I hate the shrinks.” Hell, he’d talked more to Elizabeth in the last few days than he ever would to some doctor.

“Exactly. I don’t like having the mind benders invade my head either, but it’s part of the job when you’ve been involved in a shooting. Do the time with them, and get it over with, so you can put this all behind you.”

“I’ll get it done. Tyler, keep me updated on the case and whatever you uncover. When is Elizabeth supposed to get out of the hospital?”

“The Doc said she should be out by Tuesday. That’s long enough for you to spend some time with your family and get your head together.”

“I’ll be ready to take her home,” Sam said, trying not to read too much into what that really meant, or could mean.